APA Approved Online Universities | Synonym (2024)

Online education in the field of psychology is becoming popular due to its easy access and the flexibility that it offers to students who can take classes and complete coursework on an easier schedule than at a traditional university. Unfortunately, the American Psychological Association typically offers accredited status to brick-and-mortar colleges. However, there are a handful of APA-accredited psychology degrees that are available from online education providers.

Explore this article

  • University of Phoenix
  • Adler School of Professional Psychology
  • Kaplan University
  • Argosy University

1 University of Phoenix

The University of Phoenix (phoenix.edu) is exclusively an online university, so all of its programs are administered over the Internet. It is one of the few online-only universities that's accredited by the American Psychological Association. In addition to a psychology undergraduate program, the university also offers a doctoral degree of philosophy in industrial and organizational psychology. The cost of this online university's program is $550 per credit hour for an undergraduate degree in psychology.

2 Adler School of Professional Psychology

Adler (adler.edu) is a college that focuses exclusively on teaching professional psychology and offering psychology degree programs. In addition to the degrees offered by their brick-and-mortar campus, they also offer an APA-accredited doctorate program in psychology that is taught entirely through online distance learning tools. The 114-credit online Ph.D. program costs $920 per credit hour to complete in 2011. Students at Adler can combine online courses and on-campus courses to complete their degrees.

3 Kaplan University

Like the University of Phoenix, Kaplan University (portal.kaplanuniversity.edu) is teaches its students exclusively online. Its Master of Science in Psychology degree program is accredited by the APA. At Kaplan, students can choose from one of three concentrations when they pursue their degrees: general psychology, applied behavioral analysis and addiction psychology. The program curriculum consists of 65 credit hours at a cost of $368 per credit hour in 2011.

4 Argosy University

While Argosy University (argosy.edu) offers on-campus courses, it also offers an APA-accredited Ph.D. degree in clinical psychology. Students can choose to complete the Ph.D. program entirely online, or combine online courses with on-campus courses at one of the school's four locations in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. Completion of the clinical psychology Ph.D. program requires 98 credit hours of instruction at the cost of $1,050 for each credit hour in 2011.

About the Author

Peter Grant has been a professional writer since 1998 and software engineer since 1995. He has contributed to academic papers, open-source software projects and technical documentation across several industries. Grant holds a master's degree in public policy from National University.

APA Approved Online Universities | Synonym (2024)

FAQs

Does the APA recognize online degrees? ›

Which online doctoral programs are APA-accredited? The APA Commission on Accreditation currently does not accredit online-only doctoral programs. Some accredited programs may offer online courses or other content via distance education in an adjunctive role.

Is APA accreditation important? ›

APA accreditation assures the public that a program has clearly defined training aims that meet professional and scientific standards that support the successful, ethical, and skillful delivery of psychological service.

How long does the APA accreditation process take? ›

The process for initial accreditation takes about 18 months on average from the time a program submits a self-study until CoA reaches a decision. The process may take longer, as CoA can defer making a decision before or after the site visit to request more information from a program.

What if my school is not APA accredited? ›

In California, going to a non-APA accredited graduate program and getting a non-APA internship isn't required to get licensed, just as long as you get the total 3000 hours practicum and pass EPPP.

Will employers hire someone with an online degree? ›

Most Employers Accept Online Degrees

In addition, the study showed that 71 percent of HR professionals had personally hired someone with an online degree or credential.

Can you verify someone's degree? ›

Here's how to verify academic credentials: Contact the school. Most college registrars will confirm dates of attendance and graduation, as well as degrees awarded and majors, upon request. If the applicant gives permission, they may provide a certified academic transcript.

What does it mean to be accredited by APA? ›

APA accreditation demonstrates that a doctoral, internship or postdoctoral residency program has met the Standards of Accreditation, which prepares graduates to provide evidence-based services that are associated with improved welbeing.

What are the lawsuits against Pacifica Graduate Institute? ›

In two different lawsuits filed in January and September of this year, 39 former clinical psychology PhD students are claiming that their alma mater, Pacifica Graduate Institute, knowingly misled them about one of its key accreditations, an alleged omission that the ex-students say robbed them of thousands of dollars ...

Are online psychology degrees respected? ›

Yes, legitimate online psychology degrees are well-respected by educational institutions and employers. Read more about how to know if your psychology degree is legitimate at the top of this page.

Is NYU APA-accredited? ›

All three doctoral programs are accredited by New York State, but the Counseling program is the only APA-accredited license-eligible program.

Is Penn State APA-accredited? ›

Our PCSAS1 and APA2 accredited Clinical Science program is designed to train graduate students to produce and disseminate cutting edge knowledge that moves the field of clinical science forward.

Is Capella APA-accredited? ›

This program is not accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) or by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). Capella University cannot guarantee eligibility for licensure, endorsem*nt, other professional credential, or salary advancement.

Is it bad if a university is not accredited? ›

When an institution is non-accredited, however, there is no way to verify the quality of their education or their integrity. Because of this, students attending the school aren't eligible for student aid because the federal government only grants funds to accredited institutions.

Is it bad if a college is not accredited? ›

Though they may market themselves as having "accreditation," their students go unprotected from exploitation. Attending an unaccredited college can negatively affect your future, impacting where you get hired and what degrees you can pursue later.

Do masters programs have to be APA accredited? ›

The APA Commission on Accreditation only accredits programs at the doctoral level. There are no APA-accredited bachelor's or master's programs. If you have an interest in studying psychology at the undergraduate level, you may want to visit the website of the APA Office of Precollege and Undergraduate Education.

Does APA accredited bachelor programs? ›

The APA Commission on Accreditation only accredits programs at the doctoral level. There are no APA-accredited bachelor's or master's programs. If you have an interest in studying psychology at the undergraduate level, you may want to visit the website of the APA Office of Precollege and Undergraduate Education.

Do online courses count towards GPA? ›

You can boost your GPA

Many online schools offer Advanced Placement, Honors and even dual enrollment or concurrent enrollment college-level courses. These can give your GPA the boost it needs to be competitive for college.

Is an online degree the same as a regular degree? ›

So it's not surprising that there have been misconceptions about online degrees. The good news is that as technology has developed to enable students to have a seamless learning experience over the internet, online degrees have become just as robust and comprehensive as degrees earned in the classroom.

Do online master's degrees say online on the diploma? ›

Depending on the policies of the institution, a diploma may or may not state that it was obtained online. Some colleges decide against making a distinction because they think online programs are just as rigorous academically as those offered on campus.

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